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I was supposed to be having the time of my life. When Esther Greenwood wins an internship on a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream to become a writer. But in between the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther's life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself spiralling ...Read MoreI was supposed to be having the time of my life. When Esther Greenwood wins an internship on a New York fashion magazine in 1953, she is elated, believing she will finally realise her dream to become a writer. But in between the cocktail parties and piles of manuscripts, Esther's life begins to slide out of control. She finds herself spiralling into depression and eventually a suicide attempt, as she grapples with difficult relationships and a society which refuses to take women's aspirations seriously. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath's only novel, was originally published in 1963 under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas. The novel is partially based on Plath's own life and descent into mental illness, and has become a modern classic. The Bell Jar has been celebrated for its darkly funny and razor sharp portrait of 1950s society and has sold millions of copies worldwide.Read Less

Acceptable. 2009-Paperback-Used-Acceptable--Shows substantial shelf-wear which may include some chips and tears on dust jacket (if present) and some yellowing of the pages. May contain old price stickers or their residue, inscriptions or dedications from previous owners in first few pages and remainder marks.-. -Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 business hours, Mon-Fri. Expedited shipping and tracking available within the US. Hall Street's No-Worry guarantee lets you buy with confidence!

Acceptable. 2005-Paperback-Used-Acceptable--Shows substantial shelf-wear which may include some chips and tears on dust jacket (if present) and some yellowing of the pages. May contain old price stickers or their residue, inscriptions or dedications from previous owners in first few pages and remainder marks.-. -Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 business hours, Mon-Fri. Expedited shipping and tracking available within the US. Hall Street's No-Worry guarantee lets you buy with confidence!

Customer Reviews

heartbreaking and excellent

A great read--I highly recommend it. Classics never die.

The Pageturner

Oct 28, 2009

Character Trapped in Societal Asylum

The main character of this novel reminds me of the main character in "The Stranger", except that she has emotions. The book reveals society's insanity in trying to create a cookie cutter generation of females. The surrounding character's expectations of Esther Greenwood lead to her nervous breakdown and attempted suicide. The book is not intense, but it will keep your interest until the end.

cassandra

Apr 24, 2008

nothing really special

It was okay. A little mundane. It did keep my attention and completion of the story. Quite depressing and a little confusing at times.

cathiesblogg

Oct 19, 2007

A haunting mental breakdown

I purchased this book after reading Sylvia Plath's life journals and poetry. I was really surprised of how much a perfectionist that she really was. Her brilliant but sensitive mind was unique. She did not handle rejection well and seemed to really have a hard time fitting in at certain times. "very still and very empty" is the way the narrator described herself. It shows the more "real" life of the high fashion and society life. Could benefit teenagers that are considering this life style to read this book..I recommend reading this book highly!..expecially if you are a Sylvia Plath fan..

Sali

Aug 9, 2007

The Book and the Tragedy

I read the Bell Jar more than thirty years ago. I read it before I knew the real, followup tragedy of Sylvia Plath.The Bell Jar gives a vivid picture of the artificiality of glamour in the fashion world and shows the conflict of values and self-esteem through the perceptions of young girl. In the book, the girl is named Esther, but she is Sylvia Plath's alter-ego.Esther has been an achiever and has won countless prizes for her talents, but in reality she is a fragile, unsure young woman. The book deals with her negativity and self-contempt..It deals with her attempt at suicide and her struggle with mental illness. In the book she has recovered. But Sylvia Plath made a second attempt at suicide a few years later. She succeeded this time.

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